Drought and flood co exist in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Sept 19 (UNI) With the monsoon season on the wane, a peculiar kind of situation has developed in Rajasthan with some part of the state reeling under drought while a dozen districts being declared flood- affected.

The state government has declared 12 districts flood- affected while 14 districts are in the grip of a severe drought situation.

According to the data of the Irrigation Department from June 15 to September this year the state has experienced an average rainfall of 608.34mm which is 18 per cent higher than the normal average of 513.93 mm in the state. This should have been a happy situation to the state which had a history of recurring droughts.

The rains, however, concentrated mainly in southern and western Rajasthan resulting in a flood situation there. The death toll in the flood stood at 107.

The districts which experienced extraordinary rain this season are Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, and the desert districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer along with the districts of Jalore, Sirohi in Jodhpur division.

Bhilwara, Jhalawar, Kota and Pali districts in the Hadoti region also witnessed a heavy down pour.

Normal rainfall was witnessed in Ajmer, Alwar, Baran, Bundi, and Jodhpur districts.

Even as the state government has been galvanising its energy for flood releif a matter of concern to the government is the scanty rainfall in the 14 districts of Bikaneer, Bharatpur and Jaipur divisions. The state government had to undertake relief work on both the fronts.

UNI PJJ SB KP1420